It’s lonely at the top. When King Henry V is manipulated by church advisors, taunted by French royalty and betrayed by English nobles, he has all the ammunition he needs to lash out and invade France. Or does he? Having executed conspirators and vanquished enemy forces in Harfleur, Henry’s army is weak and sickly as it staggers towards a showdown at Agincourt.

The night before battle, the king endures a long dark night of the soul, where he hears firsthand about the fears and frailties of his outnumbered soldiers. But Henry holds one last weapon: the power of words. And it may just save his men, his country and himself.

Damien Ryan’s courageous production of Henry V promises to be an unflinching examination of the questions that Shakespeare raises about political spin, patriotism, religion, class, monarchy, brotherhood and how leaders respond during times of crisis.

Damien Ryan’s vision for Henry V is inspired by a true story – in 1941, for 57 consecutive nights during the London Blitz, a group of boys trapped in a bunker rehearsed a new play each week and would then perform it for others in the shelter. This production explores the rite of passage that violence and conflict offer as a threshold to manhood. It confronts the fact that – for all the horrors of war – true courage and brotherhood can inspire remarkable achievements.

In this gripping new Henry V, a talented young cast tell the story of a king who unites his ‘band of brothers’ and a nation with his eloquent words and ideas, his triumphs and humanity. When the battle is won, this production will leave you feeling uplifted and exhilarated with the belief that the impossible is possible.